Recent snow, although still well below average, is expected to allow Mt. Ashland Ski Area to open on a limited basis Monday, Dec. 29. General manager Andrew Gast said plans to open the Sonnet chairlift were held back because of the lack of snow. As of Sunday, the mountain had only 16 inches.
Mt. Ashland Ski Area has postponed its opening due to a lack of snow, with officials saying at least 2½ feet is needed before slopes can be prepared. Other regional ski areas and even Crater Lake are also waiting for winter weather to arrive.
The inaugural Ashland Sarcasm Festival, organized by Storytown Ashland in partnership with Epic Ashland, was a big success, drawing more than 2,500 attendees and filling 12 downtown venues for more than 20 comedy shows.
Weekday ticket prices at Mt. Ashland Ski Area will drop by 23% in the coming season compared to 2024-25 as the nonprofit area looks to spread visitors away from peak-capacity days to improve the mountain experience. The Bumblebee Trail will be the first terrain added in four decades
A group of dedicated entrepreneurs have launched a “new and better” way for people to find out what’s going on in Ashland. They said at the official launch of the Storytown app Wednesday, Nov. 19, at the White Rabbit Clubhouse just off the Ashland Plaza that it’s something that has been sorely needed: something to provide access to cultural events and, in turn, create an economic boost to the town.
Ashland, long celebrated for its Shakespearean drama, is about to trade soliloquies for sarcasm. From Dec. 5 to 7, the city will host the inaugural Ashland Sarcasm Festival (ASF!), a comedy takeover designed to fill theaters, bars and restaurants with sharp wit, satire and laughter.
Time is getting short to see and experience Crater Lake up close. The Cleetwood Cove Trail, which provides the only access to the lake, is open but will be closing for up to three years for reconstruction.
This year’s Ashland Mystery Festival is scheduled to run Oct. 16 through 19, and will be headquartered at the Historic Ashland Armory.
A crowd of riders — some local and some from as far as the Bay Area and Northern Washington — came out to Mount Ashland on Saturday to celebrate the debut of Mt. A-Line, a 1-mile, machine-built jump trail boasting 50 jumps, a 40-foot gap and a beginner-friendly track. The project is being hailed as a potential game-changer for Ashland’s outdoor tourism.
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, Rogue Valley Mountain Bike Association will host an opening party, barbecue, and ribbon cutting for “their most significant trail to date,” according to President Ryan Hawk. The association — funded by donors and fueled by volunteers — creates, maintains and supports hundreds of mountain bike trails from Grants Pass to Ashland.
Owen Johnson: While it may be tempting to be unproblematic in the face of threats of violence, this is the desired effect. The most effective form of counter-protest is for local communities to monitor ICE activity.
Although many large regional theaters host students on their own campuses, only a few maintain educational outreach programs like OSF’s because of the high cost of school visits.
MLK Jr.: “Malcolm was still turning and growing at the time of his brutal and meaningless assassination. . . . Like the murder of Lumumba, the murder of Malcolm X deprives the world of a potentially great leader. I could not agree with either of these men, but I could see in them a capacity for leadership which I could respect, and which was just beginning to mature in judgment and statesmanship.”
Obituary: Cheryl Rae Gilliam Minoletti passed away Tuesday, Jan. 20 following complications from heart surgery. She was 68. Infectious laughter, warmth, and compassion were felt by those who knew her. A celebration of her life will be held Saturday, March 28, in Eagle Point.
The Ashland Independent Film Festival will spotlight homegrown talent Saturday, Feb. 21, during its revived Local Lens Spotlight at the Varsity Theatre. The one-night program features 13 short films by filmmakers from Jackson and Siskiyou counties, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and crew.
Evan Frost, ecologist and conservationist, passed away Dec. 12, 2025.
(It’s free)
